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Cognition in Down syndrome: a developmental cognitive neuroscience perspective
1Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science
|August 26, 2015
Summary
Down syndrome (DS) impacts cognitive and neurological development, particularly affecting late-developing brain regions like the prefrontal cortex. Poor communication between these areas likely contributes to cognitive deficits in individuals with DS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Genetics
Background:
- Down syndrome (DS) is the leading genetic cause of intellectual disability.
- DS is characterized by a distinct pattern of cognitive and neurological dysfunction.
- A prominent theory posits that DS affects 'late-developing' neural systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the theory that DS impacts late-developing neural systems.
- To review neurological and cognitive phenotypes in DS across development.
- To explore how DS neurodevelopment informs typical cognitive development.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on the neurological and cognitive phenotype in Down syndrome.
- Analysis of data addressing developmental trajectories in DS.
- Synthesis of evidence supporting or refuting the 'late-developing systems' theory.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests Down syndrome impacts late-developing neural systems, including the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.
- Cognitive difficulties in DS may stem from inefficient communication between these late-developing regions.
- This aligns with theories of cognitive processing in autism, emphasizing interregional communication.
Conclusions:
- Some cognitive deficits in Down syndrome result from poor interregional communication.
- Understanding altered neurodevelopment in DS offers insights into typical cognitive development.
- Altered communication networks are a key factor in DS cognitive dysfunction.
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